Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
by El-ahrairah37
Summary: Holly Ashby always thought she was just an average girl. Average girls don't cross the void, though. I've read and love stories like this, so this is my own version of what happens when someone finds themselves in the world of their favourite tv show. An AU of Season 1.
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who...alas..._**

I chewed on my pencil nervously as I sat at the bus stop waiting for the last bus home. It had been another late night at school, but that's to be expected in my last year before getting my degree. To make matters worse, I was now at war with myself. Study for another few hours, or have some tea and relax before getting a nice full sleep.

Before I could debate with myself for two long, the bus arrived, all big and red and looming. I knew that no one would be on the top deck, so I went up there. It was a long ride, about 45 minutes. Without a second thought, I sat down on the top floor and started doing some homework. I had made good progress by the time I reached my flat.

Sometimes it's really lonely, living on my own. Back when I was younger, living in all the different orphanages and having all sorts of different foster families there were constantly other people around. Silence was almost unheard of. It still makes me uncomfortable sometimes.

I let myself in, tossed my bag on the table, and kicked off my trainers. Forget studying more. I need some time to myself. I first went into the living room, turned on my TV, then my Wii, then loaded up Netflix and pressed play on an episode of Doctor Who. It was only the billionth time I had re-watched the series, but I still hadn't gotten tired of it, not at all.

I let the episode play as I skipped into the kitchen and started making some tea and ramen. Hah. I often found it funny, how much of a typical student I was. While the water heated up, I walked down the hall and into my room to change into some comfy pajamas. As I shut the door behind me, that's when I heard it. That unmistakable whooshing noise. It was so loud!

I threw the door back open and looked at the TV. It was at a cut-scene, nowhere near a TARDIS materialization. I could still hear it. Without a second glance, I ran out of the flat and down the street. I nervously tapped my pockets as I was running, glad to have my keys still in them. The door would have automatically locked behind me and the last thing I wanted to do was explain to the authorities how much of an idiotic nerd I was.

For once, I was glad I was in shape. I mean, I say for once even though I suppose it always comes in handy, but I don't actually do a sport or anything to have a use for being fit. I just run a lot. The few blocks I had to run felt like nothing compared to my daily two to four miles.

When I finally found the source of the whooshing, I gasped. It was totally a Police Public Call Box. Maybe someone had fit in some powerful amplifiers to it so that they could freak out other Whovians. I giggled a little. It was night time, I was barefoot, there was a 'TARDIS', and I was near the shopping district. This was so stupid and dangerous.

I chuckled to myself and jogged back to my flat at a much slower pace than the breakneck speed in which I had came. Soon I was back, up the stairs, and down the hall in front of my door. I pulled my keys out of my pocket and tried to put them in through the lock. They wouldn't fit. What the hell?! I flipped them around, wondering if I was retarded or what. Nope, they don't fit that way either. I pounded on the door in frustration.

"Coming!" I heard someone inside yell.

My eyes widened and I looked at the number. No. This was definitely my flat. But what was stranger was... that was DEFINITELY MY VOICE. I'm sure all of the colour had drained out of my face. I turned around and ran like I had never ran in my life, back down the block. The 'TARDIS' replica was still where I had left it. I stared at it intently, chewing on my fingernails and clenching my fist. Slowly... very slowly... I reached out a hand and touched it.

It hummed.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" I yelped, jumping back. Before I could get myself to listen to any sort of reason, I tried to open the doors, pushing of course. Locked. Of course it was locked. He didn't give his companions keys just for fashion.

I whimpered, tears beginning to well up in my eyes, and sat myself down, leaning against the TARDIS. There was nothing else for me to do. Explaining myself to myself didn't seem like a very promising endeavor. I wouldn't believe me. If anyone knew me, well... you get the point.

"I'm going to wake up now, this is all a dream. A really realistic dream where it's getting cold and I don't have shoes on. Where all I have are worthless keys and a wallet. This is all just a really really very terribly bad nightmare. I'm going to wake up, I'm going to wake up and-"

"And who are you?"

My eyes shot up and I saw him. The Doctor. The Ninth Doctor. Who was certainly not Christopher Eccelstein, despite the fact that he totally had to be Christopher Eccelstein. I let my mouth just hang open like a fool. There was no will left in my to care. If this was a dream, it sure wasn't ending anytime soon.

"Nothing to see here, c'mon, now get," he said, making shooing motions with his hand for me to book it somewhere else.

"I have nowhere else to go, but..." I said this all very numbly, but stood up anyway. The Doctor was gonna meet Rose Tyler soon, I bet, if he hasn't already. I can't be his companion.

Before I got more than a foot or two away, I turned. There was just something I had to say, because with all of the horror I felt at what had happened and the confusion as to why, my heart was still pounding like the excited fan girl that I was. He was unlocking the TARDIS.

"Before I go, if you don't mind me saying, it was great meeting you, Doctor." That was all I needed to say. I turned properly and headed off.

"Hold up there, do I know you?" he asked. I turned and he scrutinized me. Probably thought I was one of the LINDA gang. Or has that happened yet? Not in proper time, but I think he must have known about it anyway, wibbly wobbly timey wimey, because of Time Crash. Am I right? I dunno. Can't get online and chat about it, can I?

With a start, I grabbed my phone. It wasn't going to work anymore, was it?! The Doctor watched my frantic actions and interpreted it as he saw fit.

"Ahh humans, obsessed with their little technologies, just you wait. You all-"

"Blah blah blah form of downloads blah, my phone doesn't work! I don't even think it's been invented yet!" Oh yes. This got his attention.

"Let me see that. Go on, hand it over." I did as I was told. Might as well let him deduce things, since he obviously wasn't going to be asking me my name and where I was from or why I was there. At least, not yet.

"This is an iPhone 4S. Not invented for another 6 years or so. But not just that... designs a bit off... 's a bit sleeker than the one they come out with... who are you?" he asked, now analyzing me instead of my phone, which was now just a very expensive paper weight.

"Holly. My name's Holly Ashby. I don't know how I got here. I was just running and then before I knew it I was trying to get into my flat only to hear me trying to answer the door... but the keys wouldn't work. I've always had these keys there. So if I'd have went back in time I would have still been able to get in. This isn't where I'm supposed to be. I shouldn't even be talking to you," I ended, regret seeping into my words. There was an intense sorrow in his eyes as he gazed back at me.

Ah the ninth doctor. All sorrow and anger and the Oncoming Storm. All of that grief, and that military air about him. Goodness.

"That's my fault," he replied, his voice very restrained, "when I... when... there was a war-"

"Yes yes, the Time War, you, Daleks, Gallifrey burning, everyone gone, sad big weight on your shoulder, I remember. What are you trying to say?" I asked, trying to speed things up a bit so that he could possibly get me home... if he even could. It was starting to sound like the big parallel world mess. But my eyes widened when I realized how he must have heard all of that. Oh... goodness, right. I shouldn't know that stuff. Probably shouldn't have said that.

"How could you-" I'll have to just spill the beans, that's the only way to fix it.

"It's TV. It's a television programme. In my universe you are a television programme. I ran out here because I could hear the TARDIS really really loud and I was watching your show on the telly, on Netflix, and it wasn't materializing on the show. I'm a big fan of your show and I was super curious, so I just ran, no shoes, had to see what it was, me. Had to go be curious. Now I have this useless phone and these useless keys and some useless identification in this bloody useless place," I was almost shouting at the end, and definitely crying.

"Oh... my life? My life is a show and you lot all watch it for fun?!" he exclaimed.

"Perspective please! I must be from a parallel world and you haven't said it yet, but I've heard you say it, how travel between parallel worlds rips these holes in time and space and how it's very very bad," I complained, waving my hands all about for emphasis.

"Oh well, like I was trying to explain before, that was me. When I... when my people... after everything, the gateways of the universe would have pulsed and then closed for good. We're right by one of those big pulsing gateways. They're closed for good now, though, I'm afraid. I'm so, so sorry Holly, but you'll never see your friends and family again."

"Not really my concern. Never had a family, and all my friends were just online. My concern is, where am I going to live? How am I going to finish my degree? How do I get a job? I can't just go running around willy nilly with psychic paper now, can I?"

"This... this television programme... my life... how far are you ahead of this, right now? How far ahead was your universe."

"Oh. Well, I don't think I should-"

"How much do you know?!" he asked, very serious.

"I'm... well, the programmes been going for 50 years. I've been waiting for the 50th anniversary special. Then, you know, season 7 is coming out, of the new run. You're... I'm sorry, but you're into your 11th regeneration."

"Well. So, you've seen every episode?"

"Of the new series, yeah."

"So you know what's supposed to happen next."

"Yes."

"That's... well, that's good."

"I'm never going to tell you," I vowed, suddenly.

"I'm not asking you to."

"Then what are you saying?"

"You're going to be the most boring unexcitable companion. You're also going to be very, very prepared."

"Well, it didn't go day by day. You and your companions always made references to stuff that the viewers didn't get to see."

"Oh pfft, well of course, there's no way that much multi-verse-al information could flow through those writers heads without causing complete cerebral shut-down. They'd be brain dead!" he said, as if it was just oh-so-obvious. Very Doctor-y. I liked it.

"Obviously," I smirked.

"So, you've met the TARDIS," he said, gesturing to the deep blue police box we had been standing in front of this whole time.

"Yes, we had a bit of a sit and a cry when you were off galavanting around. What were you up to?" I asked.

"The usual, running around, saving the world. Well, working on saving the world."

"Meet a girl, blow up her job?" I asked, smirking.

"Well I... I suppose so, yes," he said, eyeing me a bit warily.

"First episode of the first series of the new run."

"Of course it is."

"I'm not sure you want me on the TARDIS with you. You know, 'Spoilers' and all that. I'll just get in the way."

"No, no, there's something very special about you, Holly Ashby. They make vessels to go through the Void between the different universes. That's how you travel to a parallel world. You did it all on your own, without shoes on. Didn't even notice it happening."

"Well," I said, taken aback, "I guess that's true..."

"So, after you," he said, gesturing to the TARDIS.

I was feeling cheeky, and snapped my fingers. The doors opened. Oh yes. I looked back and the look on the Doctor's face was priceless. This could be good.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thank you! I love reviews 3 And thanks everyone who has favourited and followed the story! **_

_**Disclaimer: I shall never own Doctor Who :'(**_

It was just gorgeous, the TARDIS. I completely stopped paying attention to the Doctor once I had walked in. I could certainly never get used to living here, it was just too amazing to ever become mundane or average.

"You really are a sexy thing, aren't you?" I whispered, stroking the console. The TARDIS hummed in appreciation. The girl knew everything that could possibly happen ever, so I knew she knew what I was talking about.

"Hey now, watch the controls!" the Doctor ambled up to me, sounding serious, but wearing a silly cheeky grin.

"You're just thrilled right now, ain'tcha?"

"Oh no, me, never get a thrill out of anything. Been there, done that, seen it all."

I smirked. "Now I know you're lying to me. Strange girl, strange abilities, strange circumstance, living plastic, Nestene Consciousness. You are beyond thrilled, you giddy school girl."

"Well, you got me, Miss. Holly Ashby," he said, smiling what was probably the most gorgeous smile I'd ever seen. I hadn't noticed it as much on the show. With Tennant, I could understand why Rose loved him. Never so much with the Ninth Doctor. But now, I just get it. The way you feel when you make him smile like this, it's just... it's breath taking. "Nothing gets by you now, does it? I suppose you'll be wanting to find your room and explore the place, then?"

"A room would be nice, yeah. I don't know about exploring, though. Got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. Nestene Consciousness, remember?"

"Well you would know."

"And I do know. You just make sure you got that signal. Bright and early, because I am so ready for this!" I couldn't restrain my excitement any longer. I ran up to the Doctor and hugged him as if it was the last thing I'd ever do.

This actually surprised him, I could tell. He tried to be graceful, though, and gave me a bit of a hug. Not wanting to make him feel too awkward, I turned quickly and ran down the hall. I trusted the TARDIS would lead me to the room that was going to be mine, and she did not disappoint. When I reached the end of the hall there was one door, painted mustard yellow, my favourite colour. I smiled as I opened it, just blown away by how unreal this all was. I was greeted with the most perfect room I had ever seen. Beautiful big white four poster bed, twinkle lights everywhere. Matching desk, chair, and vanity. The floor was made of glass and the ceiling was midnight blue with nebulas swirling. All of the light from the room seemed to come from nowhere, it was just bright.

"Thank you," I whispered, almost too awestruck to even speak.

I didn't even think to change into pajamas as I crawled into the comfiest bed I had ever had the pleasure of lying in. I was suddenly beyond exhausted, and I knew that tomorrow would be the start of many more completely exhausting days. I had just gotten comfortable and shut my eyes when I suddenly heard the most beautiful song playing quietly out of nowhere. It was like a lullaby, and it made my heart hurt - not because it was sad, but because it was just so full of love.

For a second I believed that I wasn't alone.

For a second.

"Rise and shine!"

I opened my eyes slightly, groaning as the Doctor's face engulfed my field of vision. I clutched my blanket closer to my chest and rolled over. I was not a morning person, but I knew going into this that the Doctor was.

"C'mon you said it yourself, bright and early!"

"Yeah," I mumbled, "for you. What do you need me for?" And really, he's going to have Rose to help him out this morning. I can't see what I could do to help, except for annoyingly predict everything.

"You have ten minutes." With that, he left my room. Weird. On the show, we never saw everyone's rooms in the TARDIS. I was suddenly absurdly curious, wondering what the Doctor's bedroom looked like. Well, no use sleeping when I could explore for ten minutes. I put my hair into a quick ponytail and walked out. Hmm yesterday's clothes... oh well. I walked out into the hall and started opening every door that I came upon. I found many rooms, but not the Doctor's.

"Oh come on, is it really that rude? I just wanna see it!" I complained, stomping down the hall, looking for the next door. Instead the hall opened up and I found myself in the console room. Ten minutes must be up.

"Finally!" the Doctor said, pulling some last minute levers. I heard the whooshing and stared up at the ceiling, smiling. Okay, it's worth waking up early if I get to experience the TARDIS in action. We were only moving to a different part of London, though, so it wasn't at all bumpy.

"Where are we?" I asked, when we rematerialized.

"Still London. I'm following this radio signature coming from the living plastic."

"I know," I said, walking up next to him and picking up the device.

"Careful now, that's what we're gonna use to track it outside of the TARDIS."

"I know," I said again, lamely. I handed it to him and plopped down on the jump seat. "Is there anything I can do here?"

"Nope, you're with me."

"No, I mean, that's not-"

"Holly."

"Yes, Doctor?" I asked, warily.

"I'm not going to live my life according to what you saw on the telly. Just meeting you changed all of that, and I'll never know how much. So," he plunked the device into my hand, "after you."

"Mum, you're such a liar, I told you to nail that cat flap down. We're going to get strays!" Rose shouted, walking into the kitchen.

"I did it weeks back!" she heard her mom shout.

"No, you thought about it!"

Rose knelt down to inspect the cat flap, only to see that her mom had done it - the screws had fallen out. She could have even sworn she saw one of them fall out as she watched. Then it moved suddenly.

"This is that girl's house," I whispered as the Doctor sonic-ed open the cat flap.

"You wouldn't think she would have felt sentimental about it, why would she keep a living plastic mannequin arm?" he asked absentmindedly as he moved to the last screw.

"No, her boyfriend Mickey threw it in the bin. It came back up to get her. Now hurry up!"

"It's just this-" he stopped, looking at Rose through the cat flap. We both heard her gasp, and then the door opened.

"So, your flat?" the Doctor said more than asked, walking past her and inside.

"Yeah, I live here. What are you doing here?" Rose asked, ignoring me as she followed the Doctor further into her house. That was fine. I wasn't about to get in the way. The Doctor turned around and motioned for me to come into the living room. His manic smile just made my heart start beating super fast. I numbly followed, and glanced as I watched the device tracking the arm.

"Who are you?" Rose asked, no longer focusing on the Doctor.

"Uh, I'm Holly. It's... uhm... it's nice to meet you," I said, glancing up at her and making it awkward. She was just totally Billie Piper to me. Plus... she hadn't introduced herself properly to either of us, so I was really trying to focus on not saying her name.

"Who is it?" Jackie asked, looking out at us from down the hall.

"Mum!" Rose exclaimed, as if she had forgotten that her mother was home, "It's about last night, he's part of the inquiry. Give us ten minutes."

"She deserves compensation," Jackie said, pointing at him for emphasis.

"We're talking millions," the Doctor and I said at the same time. He grinned at me and I blushed, handing him the device and sitting on the couch. Jackie went back into her room. Well, that's an improvement. The whole 'strange man in my bedroom' thing was always weird.

"Don't mind the mess," Rose told me apologetically.

"Oh don't worry. My flat almost always could use a good tidying up."

"Do you live on your own, or with that bloke," she asked, jerking her shoulder to indicate the Doctor, who was busy looking around for the arm, having abandoned the device on the coffee table.

"Well... I had my own flat, 'm in my last year of University. But then... well... I do live with him now, I guess."

"So are you two-"

"No! Nothing like that!" I exclaimed.

"What?" the Doctor asked, noticing my outburst.

"Nothing, nothing," I said, glaring at Rose.

"Do you want a coffee?" she asked us both, obviously trying not to laugh.

"Might as well, thanks! Just milk. Holly?"

"I'm fine," I muttered. We were barely into the adventure and already I wanted to go back to the TARDIS and just think about my life. I didn't get to do that, though. Instead, the Doctor collapsed onto the couch next to me, gossip magazine in hand.

"We should go to the police," I heard Rose say from the kitchen, "Seriously. All three of us."

"That won't last," he commented, "he's gay and she's an alien."

I raised my eyebrows, secretly giddy that I could finally see the people he had been talking about. But I was too distracted to pay attention to either of them. I mean I had loved the Doctor when it was a show but... but... I'm a 21 year old human and he's a 900 year old Time Lord. I need to have some better priorities! Can't get flustered whenever he smiles at me or someone mistakes us for a couple.

"I'm not blaming you, even if it was just some sort of joke that went wrong," Rose went on.

The Doctor went on ignoring her and looking around, as if he expected the arm to just jump out at him. He picked up a copy of the Lovely Bones and flipped through it super fast.

"Sad ending."

"I've heard."

"Never read it?" he asked, offering it to me.

"I'm a bit slower, don't think we have time," I said, laughing. He just shrugged and sat it back down.

"They said on the news they'd found a body," I heard Rose in the other room, while I watched the Doctor grab an envelope.

"Rose Tyler."

"Yup."

"You could've told me her name."

"Wouldn't that be a bit weird, though? Already knowing her name and stuff about her, I mean... well... I suppose that kind of stuff must not really matter to you..." I was talking to myself, thinking about River Song and that whole mess. Ugh. I wasn't going to get to see Season 7! This was terrible.

"Hmm, well," the Doctor threw the envelope back down and then looked in the mirror. How could I forget! The Doctor doesn't even know what he looks like!

"Ahh, could've been worse! Look at me' ears! Can't see how you couldn't'a mentioned 'em."

"I like your ears. Why would I say something?"

"All the same, he was nice. Nice bloke." I no longer had any idea what Rose was going on about in there. I wish I could remember where the arm had been. I could remember all of the major stuff, but not the smaller details. I just watched as the Doctor shuffled some cards rather impressively.

"Luck be a lady!" he said, making me laugh.

"Well anyway, if we are going to go to the police, I want to know what I'm saying," Rose said, catching my ear again.

"You should show me how to do that," I said, focusing on the Doctor.

"Easy, just-" his second attempt sent all of the cards flying. Of course.

"I want you to explain everything," I heard Rose say. If the Doctor heard a word of her little monologue in there, he didn't give any indication.

"You can show me some other time," I grinned, letting him off the hook for the cards so that maybe we could get back on track and save the world. It felt like we had been at Rose's place forever. Suddenly I heard something scurrying behind me, behind the sofa. I looked at the Doctor and could tell he heard it too.

"There we go!" the Doctor exclaimed. I leapt off the sofa and he reached back to try and grab the arm. Instead, it leapt out at him, grabbing him by the neck.

"Oh my god oh my god oh my god!" I said, panicking. Of course, now Rose had to finish up with the coffee.

I ran over to the Doctor, trying my best to be brave, and grabbed onto the arm, trying to pull it off of him. It felt like my actions had barely any effect on it. I let go, breathing heavily, getting ready to try again. Rose didn't seem to notice our predicament.

"I told Mickey to chuck that out..." she said, sitting the coffee down. Well, okay, I guess she's kind of half paying attention. I don't know. "Honestly, give a man a plastic hand... anyway, I don't even know your name, Doctor... what was it."

"Just the Doctor," I said, just as the Doctor in question managed to throw the hand off. Oh no! I slid in front of Rose in an attempt to block the hand from attaching onto her face, but it just latched on to mine. She screamed, finally realizing what was happening as I desperately tried to get the arm off of me. I could feel the Doctor trying to help, but he was having about as much luck as I had been earlier.

"Watch out, you guys, the-"

We slammed onto the coffee table, shattering it. Ow! Oh wow am I going to ever be feeling that tomorrow. We rolled off of the glass, and I was pulled up as the Doctor yanked on the arm. He let go suddenly, and I fell onto the couch, hearing the familiar sound of the sonic screwdriver. Oh thank god.

"It's alright," he said, finally pulling the arm off of my face, "I've stopped it. There you go, you see? 'Armless."

I giggled, grabbing the arm out of his hand. Rose looked at us both as if we were completely bonkers. I suppose we are.

"Uhm... we'll take care of that coffee table... later," I assured her, glancing at the Doctor, who rolled his eyes. I could just see what he was thinking. 'Domestics'. With a flash, he was back on his feet, heading out of the flat.

"C'mon Holly," he called behind him.

"Nice meeting you," I said, quickly following, arm in hand.

"Hey!"

When I got out the the hallway, the Doctor was already running down the stairs and I had to really rush to catch up.

"Hold on a minute, you can't just go swanning off!" Rose called after us, following.

"Yes I can. Here we are, this is us, swanning off. See ya!"

"That arm was moving, it tried to kill her!"

"Ten out of ten for observation."

"I'd say nine out of ten," I mumbled to myself, making my own little joke. Even with his big ears I don't think the Doctor heard me.

"You can't just walk away, that's not fair! You've got to tell me what's going on."

"No we don't."

I don't know why, but I like how he talks about the both of us. I don't know why, but I keep expecting him to just forget about me. Probably because I still feel like this should all be like it was on TV. I really have to stop focusing on the show unless it's important. I'm just... it's all so distracting!

Once we were outside, it was time to head to the TARDIS and see if we could still use the arm to trace the signal. I already kind of knew where the Nestene Consciousness was... but not really. It's kind of close to the London Eye. In a sewer-type thing. That's all I knew for sure, which wasn't a lot to go on.

"Alright then. I'll go to the police," Rose threatened, "I'll tell everyone. You said, if I did that, I'd get people killed. So, your choice. Tell me, or I'll start talking."

"Is that supposed to sound tough?" the Doctor asked.

"Sort of."

"Doesn't work."

"Who are you? Both of you?" she asked, looking between the two of us. Ah, and me with my little arm friend.

"Holly told you! I'm the Doctor."

"Yeah, but Doctor what?"

"Dooweeeoooo!" I sang, and the Doctor tried to ignore me, but I could see him start grinning. He was grinning a lot today, actually. I guess he thinks I'm funny. I was actually trying to be that time, though.

"Just the Doctor," he said, repeating what I had already told her.

"The Doctor."

"Hello!"

"Is that supposed to sound impressive?" she asked.

"Sort of."

"It totally does," I said, nodding my head and smiling.

"Come on. You can tell me. I've seen enough. Are you the police?"

I bit my lip. I really want to just tell Rose 'oh yeah come on, hop in the TARDIS' but that's not how it's supposed to happen. I think this is the hardest part, having to be patient and wait for things, and not spoil things.

"No. I was just passing through. We're a long way from home."

Oh. Aww. I tried to hide my frown from Rose, and patted the Doctor's shoulder reassuringly with the arm. Hopefully he'd get it, and Rose would just think I was trying to be funny again.

"But what have I done wrong?" she asked, not seeming to notice my little one person sad-fest, "How come those plastic things keep coming after me?"

"Oh! Suddenly the entire world revolves around you! You were just an accident, you got in the way, that's all."

Ouch. I forgot how rude this regeneration could be. Really, he's always been rude and not ginger. I resisted my urge to tell him.

"They tried to kill me! That arm was in my flat!"

"It was after me, not you! Last night, in the shop, I was there, you blundered in, Almost ruined the whole thing. This morning, Holly and I were tracking it down, it was tracking me down... the only reason it fixed on you is that you met me."

I really don't know what I'm doing here, just listening to Rose and the Doctor argue. I backed away, arm in hand, and started heading back to where I knew the TARDIS was. If I don't get involved everything will just work itself out for the episode... damn it. I'm still thinking of this all... my LIFE now... as episodes. Ugh. I reached the TARDIS and just banged my head against the door a few times. Then I realized that I still didn't have a key and banged my head a few more.

"So, what you're saying is, the entire world revolves around you," Rose said, angrily.

"Sort of, yeah."

"You're full of it!"

"Sort of, yeah."

"But, all this plastic stuff - who else knows about it?"

"No one but me an- hey, where'd Holly go?"

"I dunno, she kinda just backed off a bit back. Think she was tired of listening to us yelling. I don't blame her."

"Oh..." the Doctor said, knowing that what she was really doing was removing herself from what he figured she thought was 'an episode'. He turned away from Rose and again started heading toward the TARDIS, where he knew she'd be.

"Well wait up, I'm coming to look for her too!" Rose said, following.

"It's not really looking if you know exactly where something is, now is it? Go on, scurry back to your flat with your chips and your telly," Rose didn't notice the Doctor's uncomfortableness as he said 'telly', "and remain blissfully unaware. That's what you lot do, when all the time, underneath you, there's a war going on!"

"Okay, start from the beginning," Rose said, keeping up with the Doctor's pace as he rushed back to the TARDIS.


	3. Chapter 3

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_**Disclaimer: The BBC is not smart enough to give me Doctor Who**_

I sat next to the TARDIS and used my time wisely. Really, I had a lot to think about. I now live inside the world of my favourite television programme. Only this is real life, MY real life... so everything that happens is real and dangerous and what I say and do, to an extent, matters. And the relationships I build with the chara- this is difficult... with the PEOPLE, not characters... they're going to be real.

But what if I change something important. What if important things never happen to the Doctor and I make his life worse than he already thinks it is? Wouldn't he hate me forever?

Meanwhile, Rose and the Doctor were still on their way to the TARDIS. The Doctor decided to permit Rose her questions, since, like it or not, she was involved. Plus despite how she was obviously trying to hide anything she deemed as 'future knowledge', Holly seemed to really like Rose, so he could at least assure himself that the young girl didn't have any villainous intentions.

"If you're gonna go with this living plastic, and I don't even believe that, but if we do... how did you kill it?"

"The thing controlling it projects life into the arm. I cut off the signal, dead."

"So that's radio control?"

"Thought control," the Doctor corrected. When a new question wasn't immediately asked, he looked over at the girl. He had probably overwhelmed her, as was to be expected. He was already getting used to Holly and how nothing surprised her. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. So, who's controlling it, then?" Rose asked, trying to learn as much as she could before this weird man got into a mood again and shut her out. And before they found Holly and they started thinking that she was wasting their time.

"Long story."

"But what's it all for? I mean, show window dummies... what's that about? Is someone trying to take over Britain's shops?" she laughed. To her surprise, the Doctor laughed as well.

"No."

"I know."

"It's not a price war," he said, laughing again before becoming very serious, "They want to overthrow the human race and destroy you. Do you believe me?"

"No."

"But you're still listening," he pointed out.

Rose stopped. There was Holly, sitting next to a blue box, holding the arm. She looked like she had been deep in thought before they had arrived. What did that thing say, 'Police Public Call Box'? What's a Police Public Call Box, she wondered.

The Doctor just walked on, smiling at me and waving. I waved back, using the plastic arm instead of my own, making the Doctor smile even bigger.

"Really though, Doctor. Tell me - who are you?"

The Doctor stopped and turned around, and I stood up.

"Do you know like we were saying? About the Earth revolving?" he asked, heading back toward her. I followed, quickly catching up. "It's like when you were a kid. The first time they tell you the world's turning and you just can't quite believe it because everything looks like it's standing still. I can feel it," he said, grabbing her hand.

I didn't expect it at all, but it kind of hurt, him grabbing her hand... oh you've got to be kidding me. I smiled gently at Rose, so that she hopefully wouldn't think anything of me as I turned around and headed back to the TARDIS. I couldn't just be Donna Noble, could I? The companion who DIDN'T fall in love with the Doctor. Rose is really lucky... really, really lucky...

I still listened even as I walked away. I loved this part when it was just a show.

"The turn of the Earth. The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour, and the entire planet is hurtling around the stun at sixty-seven thousand miles an hour, and I can feel it. We're falling through space, you and me. Clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go..." he let go of her hand. I didn't have to see it to know that that's what happened. "That's who I am. Now, forget me, Rose Tyler. Go home."

He quickly caught back up to me and grabbed my hand. It really shouldn't have, but it sent butterflies through my stomach.

"What was that all about?" he asked me.

"What?" I played dumb as he unlocked the TARDIS and we both stepped inside. I handed him the arm as he walked up to the console, and I got comfy in the jump seat, ready to watch him work his magic.

"Don't think I didn't realize what you were doing. Quite brilliant, me. You still think of this as a show. You think you're meddling," he said, looking up at me.

"Well... that would imply that I had a talking dog and traveled in a van," I said, smirking. The Doctor's answering smile nearly stopped my heart. I honestly don't know how to stop this crush from just going wildly out of control. Maybe if I didn't dwell on it...

"You know you're not, right?" the Doctor asked, breaking me from my inner battle.

"In a van with a talking dog? Yeah, I know."

"No, meddling."

I frowned. I knew that was what he meant. It was what I had spent my time thinking about when I was alone earlier. Logically, I knew that I wasn't... but that didn't make it stop feeling like I was.

"Still feels like it," I said, voicing my thoughts aloud.

"Well, let's track this living plastic and save the world, shall we?"

I smiled. "Okay."

With that, the Doctor pulled some more levers and pushed some buttons, dematerializing the TARDIS to follow the signal that he rebooted in the arm. As soon as he did, though, the arm melted.

"DAMMIT!" he shouted.

"It's fine, I know where we can look next," I smiled, hopping off of the jump seat and running over to him, trying to stop him from damaging the TARDIS.

"Oh NOW you're willing to say, I bet you knew this would happen all along, eh? This whole trip pointless, yeah?" he said, still all worked up and bothered.

"It wasn't pointless!" I exclaimed, easily becoming frustrated at having to explain this kind of stuff to him, "This is how you met Rose again! For us, the people watching, that was the whole point of today, you meeting Rose!"

"And just who is Rose to me? I don't need another companion, I've got you."

"But that's not how its supposed to-"

"Holly Ashby what did I just get done explaining to you?"

"I know, I know but... what's going to happen if there isn't the Doctor and Rose Tyler? Traveling through time and space? Everything will be... different."

"Nothing's wrong with different."

"But then I-"

"Wouldn't know what'll happen? How's that different from real life? Holly, this is real life," he said seriously, looking into my eyes as if willing me to comprehend, and I did, I swear. But all the while I was just acutely aware of how close his face was to mine, his blue eyes gazing into my hazel ones.

"So it wouldn't be wrong... messing with your lives like that? Knowing all of these things could happen and then just..." I grabbed his hand and held it strong for a moment, lifting our clasped hands between us before letting go.

"Hard to say. Can't see the time lines very well right now. Can't see yours at all. But I do know that this isn't a fixed moment in time. We can do whatever we want."

"Well Doctor, what do you want?" I asked, a little cheekily.

"I want to know where the Nestene Consciousness is."

"Well I can only give you an estimate, but unless we get that head we're not going to be nearly as accurate."

"Head, what head?"

"I'm not going on about him, Mickey. I'm not, because, I know it sounds daft but... I don't think he's safe. I think he's dangerous," Rose said, as she unknowingly spoke to a plastic impostor of her boyfriend. I looked on from where I was waiting another table. As a disguise, this wasn't new to me. Throughout high school and part of University I had waitressed at various restaurants.

"But you can trust me sweetheart! Babe-sugar-darling-sugar-" the fake Mickey malfunctioned. Rose looked rather taken aback. I raised my eyebrow and looked over at the Doctor. He plopped down the customer's tray and headed over to the bar, passing me as he did so.

"Why aren't you in a uniform?" I asked, laughing a little.

"Perception filter," he replied.

"Oh, can't get me one of those, eh?"

"Now now, you apes love dressing up!"

"Right," I said, rolling my eyes and letting him make his way to the bar as I focused my attention back onto Rose and her plastic boyfriend.

"You can tell me anything. Tell me about the Doctor and what he's planning, and I can help you, Rose. Because that's all I really wanna do, sweetheart-babe-sugar-sweetheart."

"What're you doing that for?" she finally asked him, just as the Doctor arrived at their table with the champagne he had successfully retrieved.

"Your champagne," he offered.

"We didn't order any champagne," fake Mickey said rudely, as he grabbed Rose's hand, "Where's the Doctor?"

I made my way closer to their table. Things were about to get ugly, and I wanted to help Rose get out of here. Slowly, I was beginning to embrace the notion that I could 'do whatever I wanted', though of course, within reason. I loved the show. I wanted most of it to happen. But if I could help make some of the bad stuff go away, that would be great, right? Meanwhile, the Doctor moved over to the other side of the table.

"Ma'am. Your champagne," he said to Rose.

"It's not ours," she waved him off, not even paying attention. "Mickey, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I need to find out how much you know, so where is he?" plastic Mickey asked. I sat down my tray next to a random table and got behind Rose's chair.

"Doesn't anybody want this champagne?" the Doctor asked, as if he really was exasperated.

The plastic Mickey looked pissed off as he finally looked up. "Look, we didn't order a- ah. Gotcha."

Rose finally looked up, too, just as the Doctor began shaking the bottle fervently.

"Don't mind me. I'm just toasting the happy couple. On the house!"

I smirked at this. The cork popped out of the bottle and hit the living plastic Mickey right in the forehead, just to be absorbed inside. He spat it out of his mouth. Rose still sat there, mouth agape.

"C'mon," I said, grabbing her hand and pulling her up off her seat. We raced out of the restaurant. I could tell that Rose was trying to still see what was happening, watching the Auton smashing up the place. Remembering the other customers, I quick grabbed the fire alarm.

"C'mon! Everyone get out! Quick march! Out out!" I yelled, keeping a firm grip on Rose's hand as I kept running with her. "Out out out out out!" In a moment, the Doctor was beside us, running through the kitchens. He had plastic Mickey's head in his arm, and I hope Rose was too distracted to notice. Within moments, we were out the back exit, where we had the TARDIS parked.

The Doctor locked the door behind us with his screwdriver as I dragged Rose to the TARDIS.

"Where are you taking me, we have to get out!" she exclaimed, panicked.

"I am getting you out!"

"We can't hide inside a wooden box! Look at that gate, you could unlock it! Use that tube thing!"

"What, this? This is a sonic screwdriver," the Doctor said, strolling over to us and prodding Rose forward with it.

"In you go!" I said, as the Doctor unlocked the TARDIS. I could hear the Auton at the door, wreaking all sorts of havoc on it, I'm quite sure. Once the TARDIS doors were open, I quickly pulled Rose inside with me. I turned around in time to see her eyes widen. Forgetting she was still holding my hand, she swiftly turned around, trying to head out the doors to investigate but finding it difficult, as I wasn't budging.

"It...it-"

"I know, I know. Bigger on the inside. You can investigate later, when we're not about to get knocked out by a living plastic mallet," I whispered, trusting her to stay put if I let go of her hand. True to form, she did. Really, Rose Tyler is amazing.

"Isn't it gonna follow us?" she asked me.

"Oh no. Let's see, how did he put it... oh bloody hell... Doctor?"

"Holly?" he replied, as he began wiring up the head.

"How strong would you say the TARDIS is, vs. our Auton friend out there?" I asked, smiling.

"The assembled hoards of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door, and believe me, they've tried. Now-"

"That's it!" I exclaimed.

Rose didn't look that overly comforted, though. I wrapped an arm around her, trying to help ease her into it. Maybe I was wrong, maybe going out and looking at the TARDIS would have helped her, but really.

"Do you wanna go see what he's doing?" I asked her gently, trying not to overwhelm her too much with anything by accident.

"I... I don't know," she replied, glancing around nervously.

"You see," the Doctor started explaining, unprovoked, "the arm was too simple, but this head is perfect."

I knew what he was doing, so I decided to ignore him and focus on poor Rose. "Tell me what you're thinking?" I asked her, hopeful.

"Uhm... the inside's bigger than the outside?"

"Yup. What else?"

"I can use it to trace the signal back to the original source," the Doctor went on, still unaware that he was being ignored.

"It's alien."

"Oh yes, definitely."

"Are you alien?" she asked me. Really, I do remember her asking the Doctor that, but for some reason I was just completely taken aback when she asked me. I tried my best to hide it, but woah.

"No. No no no," I responded quickly, before thinking. "... he is," I added, finally thinking about it, "Is that a problem?"

"Yeah," she said quickly, as if she thought she was being rude. "You live with an alien?"

"Guess so, yeah. I mean, technically I just met him yesterday, but-"

"Right!" I heard the Doctor exclaim, turning around.

"We're in the TARDIS," I explained to her, as he walked over.

"That's T-A-R-D-I-S, Time And Relative Dimension In Space," he said, stopping over by us. Suddenly Rose let out a sob. Damn, I thought I had been doing so well.

"It's okay," I soothed.

"Culture shock. Happens to the best of us."

"Did they kill him?" she asked, suddenly, "MIckey? Did they kill Mickey? Is he-"

"No no! He's fine, don't worry!" I said quickly, remembering one of the things the Doctor hadn't done all that well. "They had to have kept him alive to maintain the copy, we're going to save him right away. It's going to be okay, Rose," I promised. Then, before she could get anymore upset, I turned to the Doctor. "You leave this to me, you need to trace that signal before the head melts!"

"Melts?" he whipped around in time to see the plastic head beginning to melt. "Oh no no no no no!"

"Don't worry about him," I said, focusing back on Rose, "what I'm about to tell you is very important. The TARDIS is a-"

"What're you doing?!" she asked the Doctor, craning her neck to look over me.

"Reviving the signal, it's fading! Wait I've got it... no no no!" The TARDIS began shaking. "No no no NO! Almost there! Almost there! Here we go!"

As soon as the TARDIS stopped, the Doctor was out the door. I snapped my fingers in front of Rose's face, getting her to give me her attention.

"The TARDIS is a ship. We've moved. We're about to save your boyfriend, okay. If you wanna stay here, where it's safe, that's fine. Up to you."

"I'm not staying in here alone," she said, as if it was obvious, following the Doctor out the door. I went out too, just to lean against the partially open door once I was out.

"I lost the signal, I got so close!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"How is it a ship? How did we move?" Rose asked.

"Disappears there, reappears here, you wouldn't understand," the Doctor replied, irritably.

"Well... what about the-"

"The rest of the Auton melted with the head, don't worry. Everyone at the restaurant is safe," I said, still at my position against the TARDIS door.

"Holly, where did you say the Nestene Consciousness was?" the Doctor asked suddenly, as if he just now remembered I was there.

"I didn't. Shall we go?" I asked, trying to act confident for Rose, even though I really just wanted to go back into the TARDIS, into my room, and burrow under my covers. This was all a bit much.

"Wait," Rose interrupted, "if you are an alien, then how come you sound like you're from the north?" The Doctor looked at me, as if saying 'what did you tell her?!'.

"Lots of planets have a north," the Doctor replied, folding his arms indignantly and once again focusing on me. I pushed myself off of the TARDIS, making sure to shut the door, and headed over to him.

"What's a police public call box?" Rose asked, still not moving.

"It's a telephone box from the 1950's."

"It's a disguise... kind of," I elaborated, getting a fake shocked/hurt expression from the Doctor. I just laughed quietly and grabbed his hand as I began leading him toward the sewer entrance I knew to be the Nestene Consciousness' lair.

"Okay," Rose said, dropping it for now, "And this living plastic, what's it got against us?"

"Nothing, it loves you. You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air... perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs. It's food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein planets rotted, so Earth... dinner!"

"Well, how are you two going to stop it?"

"Anti-plastic," I replied, smugly. The Doctor grinned, pulling the blue vile out of his jacket and showing it to her.

"Anti-plastic!" he said, excitedly.

"Anti-plastic..."

"Yup. And here we are," I said, pointing at the manhole we were now standing next to. "Perfect spot. It's using the London Eye as the transmitter," I explained.

"Of course!" the Doctor exclaimed, smacking himself on the forehead.

"Wait... what?" Rose asked, confused.

"The transmitter. The Consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic so it needs a transmitter to boost the signal. With that thing right in the middle of London... it's so obvious. Can't believe I didn't guess it right away."

I just rolled my eyes, prying up the manhole. Red light and smoke poured out of it as I lifted, and then the Doctor decided to lend a hand.

"You ready for this?" he asked me, grinning, as we sat the cover onto the ground beside us.

"Not at all."

His answering smile was one of the most dazzling I had seen next.

"After you," he grinned with a sweeping movement, indicating the ladder.

I sighed. "Geronimo."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thank you for the reviews guys, I love you 3 This is the last completely pre-written chapter so you might have to wait for me to write them and be a bit more patient now. But hey this is a good thing! Now you can make all kinds of suggestions for stuff 'n things. **_

_**Disclaimer: Fine. I don't own Doctor Who. Rub it in some more.**_

The Doctor lead the way as we walked down a short passage, and opened a door into what I knew would be the room that housed the Consciousness. The Doctor quickly identified the creature, once we were in.

"The Nestene Consciousness, that's it, inside the vat. A living, plastic creature," the Doctor said to Rose.

"Well, then. Tip in your anti-plastic and let's go."

"No no, it's not like that," I said, quickly.

"I'm not here to kill it. I've got to give it a chance," he explained, as we got even closer. I looked around the room and spotted Mickey before Rose did, just as the Doctor leaned against the railing.

"Rose," I whispered, grabbing her arm and pulling her over, all the while pointing at Mickey, who actually didn't seem to have noticed us. I forgot how terrified he had been. As Rose rushed over to him, I walked up to the Doctor, focusing on the blob that was our enemy. Really, it still didn't seem frightening to me. Just then the Doctor began addressing it.

"I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract. According to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation," he said. That's when I first saw the creature as it communicated, in it's way. Ugh that is weird.

"Thank you," the Doctor replied, "That I might have permission to approach."

I looked down at Rose as she tried to sooth her poor boyfriend, but just as I was about to go down and try to help, I remembered the mannequins and the whole ordeal with the anti-plastic. I went down with the Doctor as he approached the Consciousness, grabbing his hand. Hopefully I'd be able to warn him.

"Am I addressing the Consciousness?" he asked. "Thank you. If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilization by means of warped, shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?"

I did my best not to smile or giggle, because the Nestene Consciousness did not seem pleased.

"Oh don't give me that, it's an invasion! Plain and simple! Don't talk about constitutional rights!"

I stopped paying attention to their argument, and began watching for Autons. Suddenly I wished I had a weapon, just so that I could look threatening.

"I - am - talking! This planet is just starting," the Doctor was going on. That's when I saw them slowly making their way over, "These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but-"

I interrupted him with a sharp prod in the back, and he turned around, rather angrily. He looked like he was about to tell me off, when he noticed to Autons approaching. Quickly, he ducked down, tripped one, and made it closer to our favourite blobby wobby plastic villain.

"We were under peaceful contract!" he exclaimed.

I had been so busy trying to protect the Doctor, though, that I hadn't been watching out for myself. An Auton grabbed me from behind and held me in place. Okay. This is real. This is all very real and I am scared. Things are already different, and I could die. The only thing that kept me from screaming out was my utter trust in the Doctor to save the day.

"That was just insurance! I'm not planning on using it!"

I continued staying still, as if I wasn't bothered at all by the Auton. The Doctor still has the anti-plastic, so things were still going quite well. I could certainly tell that the Nestene Consciousness was angry, though.

"I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not... what do you mean?"

Wait... wait no... something bad is about to happen. I can feel it. Something else made the Consciousness launch the full attack. I can't remember. My brain is too full of newer epi- damn it.

"Rose," I hissed, trying to break her concentration from her blubbery man.

"Wha- Holly! Oh n-"

"Shush. I need you to do me a favour. I need you to get back to the-"

Doors above us opened, and the TARDIS was revealed. How they were able to transport it, I can't even fathom.

"Oh, well... never mind then," I mumbled, mostly to myself.

"Oh, oh no - honestly, no! Yes, that's my ship," the Doctor backpedaled as the creature screamed at him, "That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war - it wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!"

My heart hurt, listening to the Doctor plead like this. I made a little squeak in my sadness and Rose looked over, obviously in quite the panic herself.

"What's it doing?" she asked me.

"It's afraid of the TARDIS's superior technology, so it's going to start it's invasion," I said numbly.

"Invasion?!" Hearing her scream of panic brought me out of my trance. I stood up straighter, tugging against the Auton's grip on me.

"Rose, run!" She didn't, though. I knew she wouldn't. Instead she was on her phone, and I knew she was calling her mum.

The Doctor turned around, looking at me and for the first time noticed that I had been captured. "Holly! She doesn't have anything to do with this. Don't you even dare!" he yelled, sauntering closer to the consciousness. With each step he took, the Consciousness roared even louder in protest. Then it began transmitting the signal.

"It's the activation signal! It's transmitting!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"The end of the world..." Rose breathed. Oh no, Rose was still here. I mean, I knew that, but it was surprisingly easy just to forget.

"Rose, get out! We're going to be fine, just go!" I shouted, panicking for their safety. This got the Doctor's attention, too.

"Listen to her and get out, Rose! Run!"

It was too late, though, parts of the ceiling were falling in. When this happened, the Doctor did the last thing I wanted him to do - he started racing away from the plastic creature, to me.

"The stairs have gone!" Rose screamed, turning around from their first destination and heading toward the TARDIS.

"No, it's locked, just stay where you are for a second," I said, a little deliriously. One day with the Doctor and I was more stressed than I had ever been in University. The Doctor raced past them and over to me. He immediately pulled out his sonic screwdriver to try an sonic the Autons off of me, but that was unnecessary. They immediately released me... but in turn, grabbed on to him and removed the anti-plastic. Well wow, it's as if I didn't even need to be here.

"What are you doing! You shouldn't have worried about me, I was fine!" I shouted, finally caving under the stress. "You should have just done it, saved the world! You know what, you're the bloody stupid ape!"

I didn't notice Rose watching me as I threw my fit, hands gesturing wildly, and pointing at the anti-plastic. Unbeknownst to us, she was about to save the world for us.

"Me? I'm not even part ape!" the Doctor retaliated, pulling hard against the Autons, "And pardon me for my momentary lapse of judgement. Next time you're in danger I'll just leave you to it, then, eh?!"

"Well maybe you should, because I wasn't complaining. I can't promise I'll always know what's going on, but you should give me a little credit, if I was really really in danger I'd let you know!"

"Oh Miss. Holly Ashby, the girl from another-" the Doctor was interrupted as Rose and Mickey's conversation grew louder.

"There's nothing you can do!" Mickey pleaded.

"I've got no A Levels," Rose stated, grabbing an axe, "no job, no future. But I tell you what I have got. Jericho Street Junior School under 7s gymnastic team." She swung the axe, hacking against one of the chains on the wall until it came loose. "I got the bronze!"

And so that's how Rose Tyler saved the world while the Doctor and I screamed our heads off at each other, accomplishing nothing. That's why she's definitely the one who should be his companion, not me. The only thing I could do to help once she kicked the anti-plastic holding Auton into the Nestene Consciousness, was to grab Mickey's hand and drag him to the TARDIS. Somehow the Doctor was able to unlock it and Rose was able to get over in time.

The Doctor ran to the console and within moments we were whooshing away. Mickey looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

"It's fine now, everything's fine," I tried to assure him, as we rematerialized. Instead of listening to me, though, he just ran backwards out of the TARDIS. The Doctor and I shared a look, him shaking his head and me silently apologizing for Mickey. I knew that he would eventually do much better than this, but it certainly was a very memorable first impression to make. Rose followed her boyfriend, who was currently hyperventilating against a wall, out of the TARDIS and was immediately on the phone again with her mum.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, during the small moment we had alone.

"I suppose it's fine, but you're going to have to learn to cope in this universe, Holly. You're not on the telly, there's no directors about to say 'cut' and stop the monster from eating you."

"I know that," I muttered as we walked out of the TARDIS together. The Doctor stopped at the doorway, while I went up to Rose. Mickey whimpered as I approached.

"Nestene Consciousness?" the Doctor said, snapping his fingers, "Easy."

"What were you two doing in there," Rose teased, "You'd be dead if it wasn't for me."

"Yeah," I agreed, "we would."

"Thank you," the Doctor replied, genuinely, "Right then! We'll be off! Holly, come on now, say goodbye to your friends."

Wait... what? Wasn't he going to invite Rose to come with us. I'm quite sure my disbelief showed on my face as I walked over to him.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

"Trying to get a move on. We've got things to do, places to see, all of time and space at our fingertips," he said, grinning manically as if he didn't know what I was so concerned about.

"I don't mean that!"

"What, you wanted me to bring them with us?" he asked, skeptically.

"No, not him," I said, nodding over at Mickey, "just Rose."

"But I don't need Rose. I've got you." I know I shouldn't be, but hearing him say that just made me so happy. Well... really, what's wrong with being happy? I grinned and ran back over to Rose and Mickey (who still looked like he might pass out at any second).

"Alright, well, guess this is goodbye, then," I said, smiling at them and doing a little wave.

"With you two... is it always this dangerous?" Rose asked me.

"Oh yeah. Definitely. It's great," I smiled giddily, like a crazy person.

"Well, where are you going? When will I see you again? How will I know you're safe and... and alive?" I hadn't thought that she would be so worried about me, I was admittedly surprised.

"Oh we'll be back in London soon enough. We're going to travel around for a bit. Might be awhile, maybe even a year, but we'll be back," I assured her.

"Alright. You got a mobile? I want you to ring me when you do get here."

I thought for a moment, about my very expensive paperweight of a phone from my universe. "No, I don't have one. But I ca-"

"Here, take mine," she said, shoving her phone into my hand.

"What? You don't have to do that, I live in a phone box Rose, it'll be fine!"

"I want you to have it. I can always pick up a new one. Due for an upgrade, me," she laughed. I smiled and put her phone into my pocket.

"Thanks. I'll call you when I'm back. You don't need to worry, though. The Doctor... he's been doing this for a very long time. We'll be fine. Should probably get going, though. He'll be getting impatient."

"Bye Holly! S'great meeting you!" she called, as I backed up toward the TARDIS.

"Bye!" With that, I turned around and ran into the TARDIS. The Doctor was already at the console, ready to go.

"Took ya long enough," he said, glancing back.

"I know. I wanna see them again, though. You know, see how they're doing, since... since things are gonna be..." I frowned. It really was shocking how hard it was to part with what I knew was supposed to be happening in the Doctor's world.

"They're gonna be fine," the Doctor told me, very matter-of-fact-ly, "everyone's safer when they're not around me." He said the last part so softly that I wasn't entirely sure that that was actually what he said.

I'm not sure how, but I actually forgot how traumatized by the Time War the Ninth Doctor really was. I put my hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"It's all going to be fine."


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright, the amount of time it took me to get this out is inexcusable. In a mock show of defense I did have a very very trying school year - but still. I will do my best to keep on top of everything from now on. It's summer - there is an abundance of time for fic writing. I hope you guys like the chapter, it was kind of weird to get back into it after not working on it for so long.**

"Who said everything wasn't fine?" he asked, suddenly shifting from depressed to manic without a warning, "We have all of time and space right here, right in front of us. It's more than fine, Holly Ashby, it's fantastic!"

I couldn't stop the grin that spread across my face in response to his. I tried to ignore the fatigue that was settling in as I ran up to stand right next to him by the controls. No one wants to focus on being tired and exhausted for their first time traveling in time, now, do they?

"So Miss. Ashby, where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time. What's it going to be?"

"Forwards," I said, without a thought. I had learnt about the past so much throughout all of my schooling. The one thing they couldn't teach me was what the future held.

I tried to pay attention to what the Doctor was doing with all of the TARDIS's different controls and levers, but it just wasn't something my mind could comprehend. Part of me wished that I could have him teach me how to fly the TARDIS, but that seemed like it would be a very unlikely occurrence. How many times had the Doctor seriously taught a companion how to fly his brilliant time ship? Exactly.

"How far?" he asked me, breaking me from my train of thought.

"Two thousand years," I said, randomly. With only a few more pushes and pulls, the TARDIS lurched forward through the Vortex and then came whooshing to a standstill. I let go of the edge of the console tentatively, as I had been using it to keep myself upright.

"Alrighty then, shall we go?"

"Do you know what's out there?" I asked, trying to remember if I would already know anything of the year 4005.

"Oh sure, go there all the time. Really, though, it's a bit boring. What would you say we go even further?" he hedged.

"Sounds like a plan," I replied, clapping my hands together all excited. I knew where we would probably end up, and I didn't even care. I was traveling through time! And space! What the hell! We flew onwards.

He looked like a giddy schoolboy when he looked at me after we landed again. "Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside, it's the year 12,005, the New Roman Empire."

"Well aren't you just pleased as punch," I laughed.

"You think you could do better?"

"Oh, definitely," I replied, smiling like crazy. There was just something about him, when he was happy, not thinking about the past and the Time War, that was just joyfully infectious. I can really see how Rose fell for this Doctor. Oh goodness, if that's what's happening right now then when he regenerates, I am a goner.

"Right then, you asked for it. I know exactly where to go," he said, furiously going at the controls, "Hold on!"

The TARDIS sped through the Vortex, and my hands slipped off of the console as we shook around. I squealed, just giddy... and maybe a little crazy tired. Then there was a pinging noise, and the TARDIS stopped. I stayed on the floor, my hair sprawled out around my head every which way. I don't remember taking it out of the ponytail, but I must have. I giggled a little more, and tried to blow a chestnut lock off of my face.

"You're not going to lay there all day, are you?" the Doctor asked, holding out a hand for me to take. I didn't understand the expression on his face.

"Maybe I am," I teased. "You've got a time machine, can go anywhere in the universe at any time, yet you insist on running everywhere."

"Well where's the fun in lying about on the floor of the TARDIS?" he asked. I raised an eyebrow, trying not to let my mind wander too much. "When there's a whole world out there full of things to see, stuff to do, people to meet, planets to save!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me up and onto my feet.

"Being fair," I said, strolling to the doors at my leisure, "you're not really surprising me here." I felt guilty about that, too. The Doctor loved showing companions new things, watching as their faces lit up in surprise and wonder.

"Oh sure, you know where you are and what might happen but so what? You, Holly Ashby, have only seen what's out there on the telly. Now you get to live it, and everything's gonna be different."

His grin was contagious, but my smile faltered once I had reached the doors. I turned around and leaned against them, suddenly wary.

"What now?!" he asked, sounding exasperated.

"I have a question to ask you, Doctor, and your advice is going to influence how I handle everything from this point onwards."

"I already told you, this isn't a programme and you-"

"No, that's not it. Doctor, _I know things_. Things that, if they were prevented, could save lives and change everything - all the timelines and sequences of events that I know of. I told you when I got here that I wouldn't tell you anything...but would you want to know this?"

That certainly stopped the Doctor in his tracks. I remembered what would happen next, how Cassandra was going to attempt to kill everyone. Theoretically, I could tell the Doctor right now and he could try to stop her before all of those crew workers had to die, how everyone who died could just...we could save everyone. What would that do to the universe, though? How would we save all of the new sick humans from the cat nuns? What if I forget important things? I may have started hyperventilating just a little bit.

"Holly. Holly!" I wonder how long he was calling my name before I heard him. "It's all going to be okay! When the time comes, I think you'll know what to do. That may not sound like much now, just some ol' sentiment, but I trust you Holly Ashby and I think that matters to you more than it would to most."

Really what I wanted to do was cry, because that was _way _more responsibility than I could handle. The last thing I wanted to do, though, was disappoint him. So instead, I gave a small smile and grabbed his hand. "Let's do this, then."

With that we exited the TARDIS and within moments I found myself looking down at Earth, my very own planet, about to be engulfed by the sun. It was so beautiful.

"You lot. You spend all your time thinking about dying. Like you're going to get killed by eggs, or beef, or global warming, or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible. Maybe you survive. This is the year 5.5apple26 - five billion years in your future. This is the day...hold on," he paused to look at his watch quickly, and probably good that he was in the habit of double checking really, "...this is the day the sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world."

"Ahh I think I get it. It's-" I didn't finish my sentence, interrupted by a computerized voice speaking on the loudspeaker.

"_Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that platform one forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for 15:39, followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite._"

"This is going to be...odd. Are there any special things I should know about interacting with aliens? Or rather, rich aliens?"

"Don't see how it matters. Do what you like, we're just passing through. Nothing drastic, mind you."

I almost burst into a fit of delirious laughter, but was able to reign it in to just a chuckle by some miracle. If his tenth and eleventh regenerations were listening to him now they would be furious! Maybe not now, though, given everything is swirling off course. Ugh, I need to stop thinking.

"Well, what do you think?" I asked him, leaning against the window of the observatory,

"Think about what?"

"This. Planet burning away. Don't think they should have tried to move it or anything?" I knew not to ask him if he wanted to save it, because that was definitely not the case.

"Nah, it had it's run. The humans are off to do bigger and better things. You'll see," he replied, moving to lean against the glass with me. Suddenly a very high strung and panicky blue steward guy came running at us, effectively ending the conversation.

"Who the hell are you?!" he asked. I just gave him a nice smile and left this for the Doctor and his psychic paper.

"Oh! That's nice, thanks," the Doctor replied.

"But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now!" the steward fretted.

"That's me, I'm a guest, look! I've got an invitation!" With that, the Doctor whipped out his psychic paper. It would be really nifty to have my own one of those. I should ask him about it later. "Look, there you see? It's fine, see? The Doctor plus one. I'm the Doctor, this is Holy Ashby. She's my plus one. That all right?"

The steward looked thoroughly put upon. Poor guy. "Well...obviously. Apologies, et cetera. If you're on-board, we'd better start. Enjoy."

The poor man left after a nod from the Doctor and I nudged him conspiratorially. "Be nice," I said, smiling.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I was perfectly nice."

"Well, you're not one to judge now are you? Oh! Is there a way for me to get some psychic paper or is it very rare?"

"Hmm...I could see what I can do."

I rolled my eyes. Right then. Thankfully for him the steward chose now to begin introducing the guests. "We have in attendance, the Doctor and Holly Ashby. Thank you! All staff to their positions," and with a clap he had everyone running around, "Hurry now! Thank you, as quick as we can! Come along, come along! And now, might I introduce the next honoured guest, representing the forest of Cheem, we have Trees. Namely Jabe, Lute, and Coffa."

Oh right, now I remember. Jabe was the one who sacrificed herself to save the Doctor when he was fixing the...uh heat shields or whatever. Rose had been jealous of her. I don't see why she felt threatened, it really is like he had said; do what you like, we're just passing through. Why not flirt with cute Trees? In the end it's him and the TARDIS. Plus one. I couldn't help but let out a small sigh, causing the Doctor to look over at me. He looked like he wanted some sort of explanation or something, but I just shook my head. That would have to be enough for him.

"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace," the steward continued, "If you can keep the room circulating, thank you. Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, the Moxx of Balhoon. And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme."

For a moment I tensed up, maybe even stopped breathing for a few seconds. These were Cassandra's henchmen. With their 'gift', they would spread those destructive little robots about the ship. Ugh, I can't even begin to form a plan for what to do about them.

"The inventors of hyposlip travel systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you!"

It went on, I had stopped paying attention, caught up in my own little bubble of anxiety. Despite that, I still noticed the footsteps of someone approaching. Looking up, I saw Jabe and...the other Trees. Didn't really try to memorize their names...oops. Well I'll just have to get better at that.

"The Gift of Peace," she said, handing a potted plant to the Doctor, "I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather."

"Thank you!"

"We'll be sure to take care of it," I added, taking the plant out of his hands.

"Your sentiment is much appreciated. You seem to be one who connects with nature," Jabe said, smiling at me. At first I really didn't know what she was talking about, but then looking down at my feet I realized - in all of this time, I still hadn't put on a pair of shoes! Wow...you'd think I would have noticed by now.

"Yes, gifts...erm..." the Doctor seemed to be searching about his person, "Holly?"

I definitely didn't have anything on me to give as a gift, so I simply shrugged my shoulders. He'd make do.

Turning back towards the Trees he said, "I give you in return, air from my lungs." With that he blew directly onto Jabe's face. The fact that she didn't seem to mind just cemented in the fact that aliens were definitely...different, to say the least.

"How...intimate."

"We feel it represents life and the bonds that tie species together," I pipped in, suddenly thinking about CO2 and oxygen and how that all actually works. Of course a Tree would like to be breathed on, as far as I understand it's the part of the air that keeps them alive. I really wasn't expecting Jabe to come over and kiss my cheek, though.

"You are a very thoughtful, kind hearted woman. I hope the light finds you soon," she said, before giving us a polite grin and walking away to mingle with other guests.

"Somebody was quick thinking, eh? We may make quite the team," the Doctor said as he too stood up properly, holding his hand out even though I could have easily removed myself from simply leaning on something. As I took his hand as the steward continued his introductions.

"Sponsor of the main even, please welcome the Face of Bo."

Honestly it was a good thing the Doctor was holding my hand, because I almost fell down. He caught me, thankfully, and my eyes never left the Face of Bo even as the Moxx of whatever it was came over and said something to the Doctor. My trance wasn't broken until the Adherents of the Repeated Meme came over. What am I going to do with these robot eggs?

"Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. I bring you air from my lungs," he said, breathing heavily over them.

The Meme guy in the front held up one of the evil eggs of death and said, "A gift of peace in all good faith." Liar! Trying to reign in my tension and anxiety, I crossed my arms and focused back onto the Face of Bo.

"Egg?" the Doctor asked me, offering the offending object.

"That thing is vile. I'd disarm them all with your sonic screwdriver if I were you," I muttered, taking the egg anyway and beginning to examine it for myself.

"Disarm?!" I could hear the alarm in his voice, but I was immediately distracted as the criminal herself was being introduced.

"And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and Gentlemen, and Trees and Multiforms. Consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the Last Human."

How annoying...but if I meet Jack I would definitely tell him the story of my first real trip in the TARDIS, which he would arrange for us. If time was meant to be rewritten, wouldn't he have refused to have Cassandra in attendance? I must be missing something - something important that has to happen. I sighed as I watched the sliding doors open and that big stretched out piece of skin was wheeled in. She just...she looks so gross. I know enough about her already, so maybe I'll just...avoid her like the plague. Sounds like a plan to me!

"The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen."

Wait, _Lady_ Cassandra? Is that something he just said to sound fancy or does this talking skin flap actually have a title? What the hell. At this point I'm just going to believe anything. Well, I already believed in everything, I mean I live in Doctor Who world now so really.

"Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference! Look how thin I am."

I wish I could remember how many procedures she'd said she had done. I glanced at the Doctor, who was laughing silently, and I couldn't help but join in.

"Thin and dainty!" Cassandra continued, unaware of our rude behavior, "I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturize me, moisturize me."

One of her servant guys moisturized her, but I just couldn't control myself anymore. This was just too- I had forgotten about the 'moisturize me' thing oh my god I can't even handle it. Not wanting to disrupt the proceedings with what would have been bound to be very loud and obnoxious laughter, I ducked behind the Doctor and clamped my hands over my mouth. He turned back to look at me, smirking and raising an eyebrow before turning back to listen to her speech.

"Truly, I am the Last Human. My father was Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in the soil. I have come to honour them and...say goodbye. Oh, no tears. No tears. I'm sorry. But behold! I bring gifts. From Earth itself - the last remaining ostrich egg."

Laughter under control, I stepped out from my 'hiding place', as it were. I wonder how easy it would be to 'accidentally' fall and smash the thing into pieces. Maybe I should start acting clumsy. If she can't teleport out of here, she would definitely deactivate her robots.

"Legend says it had a wingspan of 50 feet and blew fire from its nostrils."

Did I say I had self restraint? No? Good. I ducked back behind the Doctor, silently laughing. I could feel his own quiet laughter and realized that I was leaning against him. Oh...that might be awkward. He doesn't seem to mind, though. I think he's getting used to me touching him. 'Touchy feely' was never a phrase I would use to describe myself, but compared to the Doctor it sure seemed that I was.

"Or was that my third husband?" Cassandra joked, "Who knows! Oh don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines...And here, another rarity. According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!"

Definitely not what I'd call classical music, but at this point it probably really was. I mean, the song's over five billion years old! If that's not considered classic, if not absolutely ancient, then I don't know what is. I started to do a little dance as I once again emerged from hiding and grabbed the Doctor's hand, having him give me a little twirl. His dancing was more of a head bop and I don't know how to dance at all, so I took his hand and started a very poorly done waltz.

"You know, just because they think this is classical doesn't mean we have to dance like it is," he said, trying to ruin my fun.

"We're about to watch the end of the world! I think that entitles me to dance anyway I want, yeah?" I replied with a grin. We stopped dancing, though, as Jabe came up to us.

"Doctor? Lady Holly?" Once we completely turned toward her she took a picture of us. "Thank you." With that, she walked away. Well that wasn't weird. I wonder if scrapbooking is still a thing.

Despite my unique ability to dwell on the most random of things, I didn't have time to ponder the future's ways of memory-keeping. The Memes were on the loose, trying to give the steward one of those fricking robot eggs. While the Doctor was distractedly watched Jabe make her quick getaway, I strolled over toward them.

"No, you're very kind," the steward was saying, "but I'm just the steward."

They remained in position, holding it out as I walked up, fake smile plastered on my face. "I am sure he will treasure it," I said, taking the egg. Egg delivered, they walked away.

"Ah, uhm-" the steward started, but I interrupted him.

"It's very nice of them, giving these to anyone. I can see, though, how it might not look good for you to take it. Once this is all done with, before we leave, I can bring this back to you if you want?" Like I was really giving him a choice.

"Oh...how kind of you. That won't be necessary, though. My quarters on the platform are not spacious enough to be holding trinkets such as that."

I nodded. Good response. "Alright, if you insist. Think about it, though, I'll still come by before I go." I smiled and walked away, egg in hand. Halfway back to where the Doctor seemed to be waiting for me, I pretended to trip a little and almost drop it. I am like James Bond over here, this all seems too easy.

"What was that about?" he asked, when I was once again by his side.

"I'm going on an egg hunt."

"You said something about disarming them earlier. What are you not telling me?"

"Oh, it's just the usual. Evil Easter Bunny trying to mess up the platform so that we all burn alive when the sun expands with it's robot egg things."

"Just another Sunday afternoon?" the Doctor replied, rolling his eyes. Maybe I should stop joking around so much. This is real, after all. We're in serious danger.

"I want to stop it from getting as close as it could," I said, giving him a pointed look, "and without as many deaths. I know I can't stop it completely, no one would believe me if I went around shouting accusations...but there has to be something."

I was relieved when the Doctor nodded in understanding. "Alright _Lady_ Holly-" I giggled a little, "-what do you have in mind?"


End file.
